Twisted Friendships
by BabyGurl-SRA
Summary: A new girl at the institute reminds Rogue of herself in the beginning, but before they get close she runs away. How will her return affect Rogue's life? What about the friend she's brought back with her? Bobby, OC. Rogue, ?.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_A young woman jumped down from a second story window, barely noticable in the dark night dressed all in black. She crept over to where a dark figure sat on an all black motorcycle and jumped on. The two rode off into the night and the girl's laughter floated out on the wind. Later that night after driving as far as possible in three hours the two people stopped at a hotel and the young man went in to pay for a room. He came back out with a keycard and said, "We're in room 217. It's got a queen sized bed and it's lakeside."_

_The girl squealed and threw her arms around the guys neck. "I'm just so excited that we're finally going to be together. I love you."_

_"I love you too baby," the guy said pulling the girl closer to him. They kissed, their features covered in shadow, but were forced into pulling away when they came up for air. "Let's go to bed."_

_The girl purred low in her throat as she pinched her boyfriend's butt and said, "I like that idea, but first I wanna go for a swim under the moonlight._

_"I don't know if that's such a great idea. The guy at the front desk said that there's somethin dangerous about the lake. He told me not to go swimming in it at night."_

_"Oh hush," the girl said waving the idea away, "they're supposed to say that so that they don't have to worry about us at night when they can't see us. I mean seriously, what could possibly cause a lake to be more dangerous at night? Some kind of evil lake monster, huh?"_

_The guy laughed at her reasoning and said, "You're probably right. Let's go." They headed for their room and walked straight through without bothering with turning on any lights. Once they stood next to the lake and stripped down to their underwear the girl got a really bad feeling and shivered the moonlight glinting off the back of her raven hair and caramel skin. "Baby, you cold? We can always wait til morning to go swimming."_

_She shook off the feeling that something was wrong and said, "No, this night is so beautiful. I don't want yo waste it."_

_"All right. You know I'll do whatever I can to make you happy right?"_

_"Yeah." They hugged, her light brown skin glowing darkly in the moonlight next to his tan skin. Their equally dark hair shining. They chose that moment to jump into the lake together. As they played around splashing each other the young woman's misgivings and bad feelings came rushing back at her ten times stronger than before. "Sweetie, I wanna go to bed now," she said her voice shaking with fear. _

_Suddenly she heard a sinister yet silky voice saying softly, "Oooh, a two for one deal. How exciting. This is going to be a treat after dining only on sushi for so long. I'm going to have to make this meal last."_

_Not knowing where the voice was coming from the young woman looked around quickly panic and fear growing in the pit of her stomach. She noticed the ripples in the water just seconds before her boyfriend did. "Oh my God," she said under her breath struck motionless with fear as a half human half shark creature rose from the water. 'Please,' she thought, 'let it come after me.'_

_The beautiful sinister voice said, "So, you're willing to sacrifice yourself for this pathetic piece of meat? Well, you would make a good appetizer."_

_"H-how can you understand me? You're just a monster."_

_"No, I was once a human too. You and I are more alike than you know. I can sense it. You are a creature of the water too. That is why I will not grant your wish. You are going to watch me devour your lover then you will live here with me forever more."_

_"No!" She screamed loudly and the monster covered what ears he had. The water around them began to crash in waves as she glared at the creature in the middle of the lake. She watched it begin to bleed from every opening in it's body before a huge wave knocked it into the water. Turning around the young woman turned to look for her boyfriend and a sob caught in her throat when she saw him laying face up in the water not moving just floating there as white as a sheet. "No," she sobbed going over to him and kissing his forehead, "no, don't go! you can't leave me! We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together! Don't do this to me!"_

_"You did it you know," came that sinister voice once again, but alot weaker this time, "in killing me you have also taken the life of your lover. Such beautiful karma. I love it."_

_The guy from the front desk had heard the commotion of the waves and came running out to see what had happened. He took in the site of the fallen sea-creature, and the dead boy laying in the girl's arms and screamed. "You killed him! You're one of them, them mutants! You're gonna pay for this freak!"_

_The wind picked up quickly at that moment and the girl passed out after noticing a big black object in the sky next to a flying woman with white hair.

* * *

_

Waking up in a large comfortable bed the girl sighed and rolled over to check her alarm and see what time it was. _What a nightmare,_ she thought_, I'm just glad that it's over._ It was at that moment that she realized that she wasn't in her own room. She sat up quickly and looked down to see that she was wearing some sort of flimsy nightgown. _What's going on here,_ she thought wanting to scream. She jumped down from the large canopy bed that she had slept in and began looking for her clothing. Finding them in a drawer she was just about to get dressed when a skinny blue man and a large man with blue hair walked into the room. Seeing the blue man and realizing that he really was there the young woman passed out again. The only reason she didn't hit her head on the floor was that the large man, wearing a white lab coat, caught her in his beefy arms before she could.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Cassera Nikolai frowned as she looked around the all white room that she had found herself in upon waking up from a faint for the second time. She noticed that she had all kinds of wires attached to her body and figured she must be in a hospital. _Maybe I'm really sick or something and that's why I'm having these weird fantasies,_ she thought to herself reasuringly. Just as she was starting to believe that maybe she was sick and not some kind of mutant a gruff looking man walked into the room. She figured he must be her doctor and said, "Hi, how am I doing? Am I going to be okay?"

The man frowned and said, "I guess. All you did was pass out a couple of times. It ain't no big deal. McCoy just wanted to make sure you were healthy. Says you passin out could be because of some medical reason. Honestly I wasn't listenin. I just came to give you these and to tell you not to worry. The professor'll be down here to talk to you soon." He tossed her a her jeans and t-shirt and walked out the door.

_What's up with him, _she wondered as she waited for whoever it was that was supposed to be checking on her next. She sighed and decided to take off the wires attached to her because they were starting to itch. Laying down on the hospital bed after getting dressed Cassy began to drift off to sleep. Just as her eyes drifted shut she heard the door open and sat up to see the big blue haired doctor walk in behind an elderly bald man in a wheelchair. "Um hi, sorry about the passin out thing, but I could've swore the guy you walked in with was blue with a pointy tail."

The doctor just chuckled and nodded. "I understand completely. My name is Dr. Hank McCoy. I'm just going to check your vital signs while Professor Xavier explains a few things to you."

"Uh sure," she said turning to look at the bald guy, "you must be Professor Xavier. I'm Cassy, but you probably already know that."

"Actually, we brought you here without knowing who you were. All we know is that you are like us. My name is Charles Xavier, and I am a mutant. As is Hank. This place we've brought you to is my school for mutants. It is just like any other school in that we make sure that each student is fully educated, but we also teach our students how to controll their powers, or gifts, as I like to think of them. Now yor powers for some reason manifested themselves rather late,but it's not unusual. You're just what I like to affectionately call a late bloomer. You don't have to stay here if you don't want to, but I sincerely hope that you do."

Hank finished checking her vital signs and said, "Well, you're completely healthy. Now, I know that what the professor's told you has come as a shock because your heartbeat tripled when you heard it, but it's the truth. It's not necessarily a bad thing though. Living here with other mutants and not having to hide who you really are is such an amazing feeling. It's as if you're completely free. Plus, the school is completely safe and nobody will ever know you're a mutant unless you tell them." He gave her a friendly smile and said, "I hope you stay. By the way, I love what you've done to your hair." He chuckled as he left the room leaving her alone with Professor Xavier.

Cassy stared at the professor trying to decide what she thought of him when she heard his voice say in her head, _You don't have to be afraid. You see, I was telling the truth. This is my gift. I have telekenetic and psychic abilities. You, as far as I can tell, have the ability to control water and you have a psychic link with water creatures. There may be more to it than that. Only time will tell. I can also hear what you're thinking, but unless you're directing your thoughts at me I won't listen in._

_Um, can you like hear me now?_

_Yes child, I can hear you as clear as if you were talking out loud. If you ever want to have a private conversation with me this is how you should go about it._

"Oh. Um I kinda have a question to ask you. I know it sounds crazy, but did all those things that I thought were dreams really happen or were they really dreams?" Cassy figured that she knew what his answer would be, but she had to hear it out loud or she'd never believe it herself.

"I'm sorry to say, but yes those things really happened. I wish for your sake that it were all a dream, but unfortunately those events took place in real life."

Cassy sighed, holding back her tears until she could be alone and said, "Thank you Professor. I appreciate your honesty. I think I would like to stay here, at least for a while. I think being here might do me some good. It might not help me feel better, but at least I might be less of a danger to people in the future."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, or at least as sure as I can be with everything that's happened. Oh, and Professor?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for being willing to take me in. My name is Cassera Jasmine Nikolai and if given the chance I will repay your kindness."

* * *

Cassy sat in an overstuffed leather chair in Professor Xavier's office. They were trying to decide how to convince her parent's to let her stay at the institute. Well they weren't actually her parents, she was adopted by them when she was ten after her mother had died. They had been her mother's friends and couldn't have children of their own. When Cassy's mother had died of breast cancer not long after her tenth birthday the Christensen's had been more than happy to take her in and love her as if she were their own flesh and blood. Cassy thought about how no matter how nice Joni and Mike Christensen had been to her she had alwaysacted out and treated them like dirt. She looked up at Professor Xavier and said, "Um Professor, you could always tell my parents that your school is for helping children with disiplinary problemsor something along those lines."

"From what you'vetold me aboutyour behavior with your parents that might just work. I'm guessing they would never contact a school like that on their own, but if one were to contact them they would probably see it as a sign."

"Yeah, you can say you were contacted by the police after I got caught as a runaway. I really think it would work. I just hate lying about it. Hey, what if you said that my school had contacted you onaccount of my low grades. Since you sadi this is a school for gifted people that would probably work better because gifted could easily mean below average intellect, or above, like I'm not being challenged enough in school. My teachers really have said that, and my parents have been contacted by other schools but it was always too expensive."

"I think that's the best idea yet. I've decided that i'll tell them a combination of your low grades, bad attitude, and high IQ. What do you think?"

"I think you're brilliant Professor."

"I'm positive they'll allow you to stay so I'll have one of your new classmates come show you around while I'm gone. I always do these things in person. I'm glad to have met you Cassy, you seem like a very nice girl."

"Thank you, for everything. I guess it's time for me to learn the layout of my soon-to-be new home."

"Yes, you're absolutely right. If you will wait just one moment I'll have one of the girls you'll be rooming with sent in here to give you the grande tour." He sat silently in his chair for a moment with an expressionless face before smiling and saying, "One of your new roommates Jubilee will be in here shortly to show you around."


	3. Chapter 2

AN: I know these last couple of chapters haven't been very exciting, but I had to write them so that Cassy could get settled in a little bit before anymore drama occurs in her life.

**Chapter 2**

Cassy forced a smile in the face of Jubilee's extreme cheeriness and nodded as she explained where the classrooms were for regular studies. "Jubilee, I was wondering if I could the introductins to the other students around over with first? See I'm not very good at making new friends because I've never had to. I've only moved once in my entire life and all my friends came up to me first."

Jubilee pushed her long dark brown hair out of her eyes and said, "Sure, I so understand where you're coming from. I was the same way when I first came to live here, but everyone's just so easy to get along with and we all know that we automatically have one thing in common." When Cassy gave her a blank stare Jubilee laughed and said, "I forgot that you're like really new. We all have our own personal gifts. That's what makes us all similar, our being different."

Cassy nodded her understanding and sighed at how stupid she felt. _I'm such an idiot. Of course she was talking about our powers. It's a school for mutants. What else would she be talking about. God she's probably thinking I'm some sort of retard._ Out loud she asked, "Hey Jubilee, how old are you by the way?"

"Seventeen, I ended up here when I discovered my powers about two years ago. Everything electronic in the house just kept going haywire whenever I'd come near it. See my power is that I can create electric sparks from my hands that look like little fireworks. What's your power?"

"I guess it's the power to controll water and a psychic link with water animals. That's what the professor said anyways."

"So, I guess it fits that you've got that blue in your hair then, huh?"

"What're you talkin about? My hair is and has always been midnight black. It's always been my favorite feature."

"When was the last time you looked in a mirror? Nevermind, I think I'll show you our showers before you meet the other students. Honestly if I'd been thinking I'd have said something before, but I was just so excited about you being here. Anyways, as I was saying, you probably don't want to meet any cute guys looking as, um, natural as you do."

Cassy just nodded as she thought about all she'd been through. _I really don't want to meet any boys at all right now. I just wish that Aaron were here with me, or better yet that we could be on our own together like planned._ She figured she probably did look a mess though and decided that Jubilee was right and that she still wanted to make a good first impression in case she ended up staying for a while. "I must look terrible huh? The thing is, I have no clean clothes. I had actually planned on buying more later."

"Well, um you're a little taller than me, but I think you'd probably fit some of my clothes. It can't hurt to try. What are you by the way, like 5' 8 or something?"

"I'm actually 5' 9. I hate it because I always feel like a giant. Anyways, let's get this done and over with. So are the showers here public like in a dorm does each room have it's own?"

They're community, but the guys have seperate showers from us. Not that that doesn't stop 'em from peekin in every now and again. Especially Bobby, Peter, Ray, and Sam. They're such perverts. I mean I've never peeked in on them, none of us _girls_ would ever stoop so low." Jubilee laughed at the look of disbelief on Cassy's face and said, "Yeah, I know you're one of us. It's just fun to pretend because unlike the guys we've never been caught. Thanks to our secret weapon."

"Huh?" Cassy frowned as they entered a large room with two rows of three beds on each side with a small dresser and lamp next to each bed. "Um is this our room? How do they fit all these beds in here? I mean they're like huge. This room is like practically the size of half my house back home." She laughed as she flopped onto the bed that Jubilee pointed out as hers and said excitedly, "Wow, I could so get used to this. This place is like totally a palace."

Jubilee grinned and pulled out a pair of jeans a tiny purple tank top with a blue butterfly on the front. "Here, I'm pretty sure you can fit these. I got the pants longer so I could wear 'em with heels. The shirt'll most likely fit though 'cause most of your height's in your legs. I wish I had your figure, you're like a model all tall and skinny."

"I am _so _not skinny. I've got what you'd call a ghetto figure. Anyways, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I thinks probably bad when you can smell yourself don't you? I really need a shower." Jubilee nodded with a giggle and lead Cassy down the hall to the girls' shower room. Cassy smiled gratefully and headed in. About fifteen minutes later Jubilee heard her scream all the way in the room where she was sitting on her bed writing in her journal.

She ran into the shower to see what had happened and saw Cassy staring at her hair in the middle as she held one of the teal blue streaks framing her face. Laughing in relief Jubilee grinned sheepishly at Cassy and said, "One pointer, unless it's really an emergency don't scream like that around here. We've recently had a very real attack by the government so we're all a little on edge. Oh, wow. Girl you look great. Why don't you keep that outfit? After seeing it on you I know I could never do it justice."

Cassy just shook her head at the ridiculous notion that this gorgeous Asian was less pretty than she was and said, "Thanks, but don't try to make my head any bigger than it is already." She finished combing out her hair and let it fall free to the middle of her back and asked, "So, do I look decent enought to go meet everyone now?"

"Yeah, I think so."

* * *

Bobby Drake, his girlfriend Rogue, Kitty Pryde, Sam Guthrie, Ray Crisp, and Piotr Rasputin were sitting in the kitchen munching ona bowl of chips sitting in the middle of the table when Jubilee walked in with a striking young woman right behind her. She had long wet wavy black hair with two teal blue streaks framing her face, wide black eyes with a tiny ,almost unnoticable, blue rings around the pupils, full pink lips, and well-defined high cheekbones. She was slightly taller than Jubilee and had a slim yet toned middle exposed by the tank top. Piotr was the first to jump to his feet followed quickly by Sam, Kitty, and Ray. Peter grinned at her and said, "Hey, I'm Piotr. You must be new here."

The young woman smiled softly and said, "Yeah, my name's Cassera, but you can call me Cassy or C.J." She craned her neck to look Peter in the eyes as she introduced herself and shook his hand. She went through the same ritual with the other three until the only ones she didn't know were Bobby and Rogue. She smiled shyly at Rogue and held out her hand, "Um hi, I'm Cassy. "

Rogue nodded and stood up with Bobby right behind her. She shook Cassy's hand and said with a southern accent, "I'm Rogue and this is my boyfriend Bobby. Welcome to the school. So, what are your powers? Not to sound rude, but I'm sure everyone else would like to know also. And how old are you?"

"I'm seventeen, and from what Professor Xavier says I have the power to control water and communicate with sea-creatures."

"Cool," Bobby said removing his hand from Rogue's waist and holding it out to Cassy, "I can control ice."

As soon as their hands touched Cassy felt a spark shoot up her arm and warmed her entire body. She shook it off as static electricity and sighed as she thought about her boyfriend from home Aaron Smith.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Cassy lay in bed that night with tears streaming down her face. The professor had returned that night during dinner and told her that she could stay. He told her the Christensen's were actually kinda relieved that she was accepted into his school because Joni had just found that she was expecting a child of her own. Sighing Cassy curled into a ball on her side and drifted off into a fitfull sleep riddled with nightmares. During one really graphic nightmare in which she was back at the lake, only her boyfriend Aaron was the lake monster and _he_ was destroying _her_ she began screaming, crying and thrashing around in bed. "No," she shouted as the other girls tried to wake her up. Instead her screams just grew louder and the sprinkler systems in the whole mansion burst to life.

The next thing she knew she heard Professor Xavier's voice in the recesses of her mind say, _It's just a dream Cassy. You have to wake up or you will end up flooding the mansion. Please, come back with me to the real world._

Cassy looked around in her dream and saw the professor standing a few feet away holding out his hand to her. She started walking towards him when the creature in her dream grabbed her arm and said, _No, you're mine forever. I'll never let you go._

Professor Xavier smiled gently at her and said, _Just pretend like he's not there and he won't be there. This is all in your mind. You can control everything here except me. I am really here, and I want to help you._

_Okay._ She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated hard on ridding herself of the lake monster and the next thing she knew she was all alone next to the lake with the professor. She grabbed a hold of his hand and woke up in her bed soaked from head to toe. Looking around Cassy noticed that there were a bunch of the other students and teachers that she had never met before standing outside the room staring at her. It was then that she noticed that everyone else was just a swet as she was including the professor sitting in his wheelchair next to her bed. Sighing she ducked her head in shame and said, "I'm sorry everyone. I-I really a-a-am."

One of the teachers, a woman with shoulderblade lenght white hair gave Cassy a motherly smile before gathering all the students and saying, "Okay everyone shows over. Since everyone's beds are wet we're going to have a schoolwide slumber party in the lower level, and anyone who wants to can get some extra training in."

Cassy sighed once she was left alone with professor Xavier and a younger man wearing red sunglasses and a tear slid down her cheek. "I'm really sorry," she said softly without making eye contact I didn't mean for anything like this to happen. I didn't ask for these powers. I-I just wish I could make everything right again." A sob escaped her and she turned to lay face down on her soaking bed.

The younger man sqatted down next to the bed and placed a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "Cassy, my name is Scott Summers. I had plenty of accidents when I first came here that caused a lot more damage than some sprinklers, and now I'm one the teachers here. Now I try to help other mutants control their powers. We've all been through what you're going through right now, but it will get better. I promise you. Now let's go join the party while Dr. McCoy works on the air conditioner to dry the place out. He's a genius so things should be dry by tomorrow, and everything will be back the way it was."

"Not everything," she said under her breath, but just nodded and followed Professor Xavier and Scott to what she was told later were the training rooms. The first thing she nooticed was that everyone was wearing grey sweats. She frowned as she looked down at the short flimsy, now see-through, gown that Kitty had let her borrow and tried to hide in the doorway, but that didn't work to well when one of the younger boys came running in. He bumped into her and she jumped back when a bunch of replicas of the boy popped up around her. The white haired woman, the only woman in fact, noticed the commotion as did a couple of the guys loungin against the opposite wall.

The woman smiled at her and said, "Hello dear, I'm Ororoe Munroe. I'm going to be your history teacher once you start classes. Here put these on. You're going to need a set to start training in anyways, so unless these don't fit you can keep them."

"Thanks,"Cassy said smiling at Ororoe thankfully. She watched her walk towards where a younger girl was calling her name and sighed wondering where she was supposed to change.

She frowned when Piotr walked up to her and said, "I couldn't help but notice that you were real confused. I'll show you where the locker rooms are."

Cassy just nodded struck speechless by how kind these people were being after she'd washed them out of their beds. She followed Piotr through the mass of students over to two sets of doors. One had Men's Locker Room on and the other had Women's Locker Room. Sighing Cassy headed into the women's locker room to see Rogue standing facing Kitty and Jubilee and saying her accent more pronounced than ever, "I can't believe she did that! I mean the whole place is a mess!" Kitty was shaking her head vigorously at Rogue but she ignored the sign. "I can't believe she's just now got her powers, I mean what kind of weirdo doesn't bloom until seventeen?"

Jubilee face turned red with outrage and she said angrily, "Oh shut up! i don't understand how you of all people have the nerve to talk about messes. And you only got your powers at sixteen which is practically the same thing so shove it! By the way Rogue, Cassy's been behind you the whole time. Kitty was tryin to tell you, but you just wouldn't give up."

"Listen, I didn't mean to bother anybody I just came in here to change. I'll be out in less than five minutes."

Rogue shook her head and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to hear that. I shouldn't have even said it at all. It's just that she's right. You remind me too much of myself."

Cassy just shook her head one blue streak in her hair falling in her face and frowned as she said, "It was all true. I don't blame you for being mad at me. I was actually expecting everyone to be mad at me." She changed into the grey sweat pants and black tank-top deciding not to put the jacket on unless she got cold and walked back out into the din of the other students.

* * *

A bunch of the older guys were tossing around a football in an empty area when Roberto Da Costa tossed the ball a little too hard and it soared past Ray and landed at Cassy's feet. Picking up the ball Cassy absentmidedly tossed it back in a perfect spiral. Sitting back down Cassy began to remember the good times at her old high school where she was captain of her J.V. powder puff football team the Razorbacks. She remembered that the first time she had met Aaron he was hackling her during practice. She got so angry at him that she threw the football at his head knocking him to the ground. After running to help him and apologize she looked into his deep grey eyes and was gone. From that moment on they were inseperable even when they were fighting, but her parents didn't approve of him. They thought that he was a bad influence on her. Cassy remembered shouting at them that she was never a good kid, and that the only reason she hadn't been acting up lately was because Aaron wanted her to stay out of trouble. Her father let out a bark of laughter and just sent her to her room. That was the night she and Aaron had run away planning to go somewhere where they could be legally married and live together forever. _Boy had that been far from what really happened,_ she thought holding back her tears, _I can't let these people see me cry. I don't know how many of them'll use my pain against me._ Cassy was still lost deep in her memories when a pair of large tennis-shoes appeared in front of her. She looked up and stared questioningly into the blue eyes of Ray Crisp. "Uh hi," she said looking back down to avoid the anger she expected to see in his eyes.

"Hey, uh we were wondering if you'd wanna come throw the ball around with us? That spiral was amazing!"

"Oh, no thanks. I'm kinda tired right now. Maybe some other time."

Ray grinned sheepishly and shouted to the other guys, "She said no! I guess you were right Rob she probably is too scared!"

Cassy glared at him and jumped to her feet. "I'm am not scared," she said through gritted teeth, "I'll play, but only for a little while." She followed him over to where the other guys were waiting, never noticing the glint of laughter and approval in his eyes.

Laughing joyfully Cassy scored the final point in a game of basketball and high-fived Bobby. She turned to do the same to Piotr, but he picked her up instead and sat her on his shoulder. Cassy squealed and said, "You big ape! Put me down this instant!"

Bobby watched with a strange sinking feeling as Piotr set her on th ground and grabbed her hand in his. Just then Kitty, Jubilee, and Rogue walked up to them and Kitty asked in her cheerful bubbly voice, "What's goin on here?"

Grinning Bobby threw his arm across Rogue's shoulders and said, "C.J. here just helped me and Pete beat these three in a game of b-ball. In fact she scored the second most points."

Blushing Cassy ducked her head and turned to walk away, but Piotr held on tight to her hand and said, "You're not goin anywhere. You're the star."

"I-I gotta go. I-I n-need to be alone," she said softly before pulling away and heading to the only secluded corner in the huge room. tucking her head to her knees as she sat down Cassy choked back a sob and let the tears slide down her cheeks and onto the floor. She sat there crying silently until she felt a gloved hand touch her shoulder lightly. Looking up Cassy saw Rogue standing silently over her holding a tissue. Accepting the tissue she asked quietly, "Why are you all trying to be so nice to me? You guys don't know me and it's not like I've made a great first impression."

Rogue sat down next to her and said, "We've all got our history and we've all got our own power which is why we're all here. I can't make physical contact with anyone for more than a second or two before a begin to take their life force. It has to be skin to skin though. With mutants I take their powers. I first discovered my powers during my first kiss when I put my boyfriend in a coma. Then my first night here I almost completely sapped the powers of the guy who saved my life."

"Wow, that's- I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say."

"How about you tell me why you're so distant from everyone?" Rogue asked with a sincere smile.

"I- You see my powers didn't first show up today. The first time they appeared I was 14 during showers after gym. For some reason the shower heads all came on at full blast and were all aimed at me. I felt like I was drowning. I never knew what had happened until now. I just figured my school was haunted. The event recently was in a lake. Something scared the hell outta me and I ended up causing huge crashing waves. My boyfriend who I was running away with to get married was with me. He drowned under the crashing waves. I killed him. _I_ killed Aaron."

Rogue just nodded sympathetically and said, "And now you're being thrust into a new life and school where everyone keeps being so nice and you feel unworthy. It's understandable, but not true. You didn't mean to harm him at all. It's not like you knew what you were doing. I've been there. I know you probably think I'm nuts but you'll get over it."

"Maybe, but I doubt it. How could I ever forget him?"

"You won't, but you will move on."


	5. Chapter 4

Cassy watched as Rogue ran over to Bobby and threw her arms around his neck laughing as he picked her up and swung her around. She sighed remembering the times that Aaron had done the same thing after she'd get out of school. He always came to pick her up everyday on his blue Kawasaki ZZR 600 with a devil may care grin on his face and practically tossed her into the air as he swung her around and onto his bike. Recalling the look of excitement she saw in Aaron's grey eyes whenever she was around she had to take a huge breath to keep from bursting into tears. _God, what have I done? He's gone forever and it's all my fault. If I had just listened to my parents this would never have happened. Aaron would be alive and well away from me, and I know that he'd end up with someone much better for him._ She blinked back the tears that came to her eyes at the thought and decided that she just wasn't ready to start classes yet. She just wasn't ready to watch other people her age living happy lives. Suddenly Cassy wondered whether Aaron got to have a decent funeral or if he was left on the bank of the lake all alone. _I've got to know. I've got to find out what happened to him. Maybe I should just leave. I've been here for a little over two weeks now and the only people who try talking to me are the teachers, Jubilee, and Rogue. I mean sure the guys pay attention to me, but it's only because they want a piece of ass. They're all the same. _

* * *

Rogue was sitting with Bobby, Kitty, Piotr, and Ray when she noticed Cassy sitting all by herself under a tree. _I wish I could help her, but I don't know what to do. The only reason I'm better is because of Bobby and Logan. Maybe she just needs to find a new love to make her feel worthy. I know Piotr has a crush on her, maybe if she were to find out she might cheer up a little. Unless she's not interested in boys right now. I mean what happened to her was pretty serious. It'd take me a while to even want to look at another guy again too._ She just shook her head and decided to leave her new friend alone though she was still gonna worry about her because she felt like they shared a special bond. It was just that Cassy reminded Rogue so much of herself in so many ways. _She just makes me feel so protective. I just want to hold her and make everything better. I just have these seriously big sister type feelings towards her. I can't stand seeing her so alone._ It was then that she noticed that Bobby had said something to her and was expecting an answer. "What was that? I'm sorry I was daydreamin." 

Bobby grinned and brushed a stray strand of whitehair from her face. "I asked you if you wanted to go see a movie tonight?"

"Oh. Sure, well it depends on what movie you wanna see." She smiled and said softly, "I wanna see that new horror movie, oh what is it called? You know the one I mean right? The one with that demon thing."

Bobby nodded and put his arm around Rogue's shoulders and said, "Awww, yeah. I so wanna see that. Me and Pete were talkin about that just the other day. Weren't we?"

"Yeah," Piotr said nodding in agreement and grinning excitedly, "I can't wait to see it. I heard it was real gruesome."

A mischeivious grin appeared on Rogue's face as she said, "You wanna come with us? I know someone for you. That way it'll be a double date, and you won't feel like a third wheel."

"Sure."

Bobby noticed his girlfriend turn to look at Cassy sitting quietly under a tree reading a book and shook his head as he realized exactly what she was planning on doing.

* * *

Cassy frowned at herself and wondered how she got talked into going on a date with Piotr. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror in her room and sighed. _I need new clothes. I can't keep borrowing clothes from the other girls. These just don't fit right. As if these clothes are the problem. I just can't do this._ With that thought in mind she changed into the blue jeans, white baby-tee, leather jacket, and tennis shoes she was wearing her first day that had been cleanded and sat down on her bed with a pad of paper and a pencil. She quickly wrote out a note and left it on her pillow before grabbing her shoulder bag and sneaking off the property. As soon as she was out of sight of the mansion she reached into her bag and pulled out a wad of money she'd left in theresince she'd arrived at the school. Walking down the street she came to a bus stop and sat waiting. Paying for a ticket when the city bus arrived she rode until the last stop thanking the driver and getting off. Looking around she noticed an abandoned warehouse and hid inside. _I'll just hide out here for a while until I figure out what to do next, _she thought to herself and curled up into a ball for warmth using her jacket as a pillow. When she awoke it was to the feeling that she wasn't alone. Cassy sat up slowly and examined the empty room carefully, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Sighing she realized that she was starving and looked at her watch to see that she'd been asleep for almost four hours and that it was nearly 10 o' clock. "I wonder where I can get somethin to eat," she said outloud to herself.

A male voice from above her said, "I know a few places nearby that are still open. I'll take you to 'em if you're buyin."

Cassy jumped to her feet and looked up above her frowning when she noticed a shadowy figure on a nearly unnoticable ledge. "Who are you?"

The figure jumped down and landed in front of her the lapels of his floor-length trench coat flapping in the breeze he created. He looked into Cassy's black eyes with his own reddish-brown ones. His dark brown hair semi-long and un-kept only made his angular features more sexy. "Remy, Remy LeBeau at your service. And you are...?"

"C.J. Nikolai."


End file.
